Instagram (Lisa Marie Presley) Benjamin Keough, the son of Lisa Marie Presley.
Benjamin Keough was the only son of Lisa Marie Presley who bore a strong resemblance to his famous grandfather, Elvis Presley.
Keough died of suicide on July 12, 2020, TMZ reported, and, according to her many writings on the topic, he left his mother shattered.
Presley died on January 12, 2023, her mother, Priscilla Presley, confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press. She had suffered a full cardiac arrest at her home in California, and Keough’s father, Danny Keough, performed CPR on her, TMZ reported.
Presley leaves behind three other children, all daughters: Riley Keough, who is her daughter with Danny Keough, and Finley and Harper, her children with her final husband Michael Lockwood, according to her Instagram page.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Keough, Who Was Described as the Love of Presley’s Life, Died of a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound
When Keough died at age 27, Roger Widynowski, Presley’s representative, told People Magazine she was “beyond devastated.”
“She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley,” Widynowski told People. “She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.”
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According to TMZ, Keough died of a shotgun wound to the mouth, and it was self-inflicted.
2. Presley Wrote an Essay About Her Grief, Saying That Benjamin Keough Was ‘So Much Like His Grandfather’
Presley’s final Facebook post was a share of a People Magazine essay she wrote about Keough’s death. “Hi. In honor of it being National Grief Awareness Day, I wrote an essay about Grief which was posted today on People. I wanted to post it here as well,” she wrote in the Facebook status in August 2020.
“Death is part of life whether we like it or not — and so is grieving,” the essay reads.
There is so much to learn and understand on the subject, but here’s what I know so far: One is that grief does not stop or go away in any sense, a year, or years after the loss. Grief is something you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life, in spite of what certain people or our culture wants us to believe. You do not ‘get over it,’ you do not ‘move on,’ period.
She wrote in the essay:
Obviously, no parent chooses this road, and thankfully not all parents will have to become a victim to it — and I do mean VICTIM here. I used to hate that word. Now I know why. I’ve dealt with death, grief and loss since the age of 9 years old. I’ve had more than anyone’s fair share of it in my lifetime and somehow, I’ve made it this far. But this one, the death of my beautiful, beautiful son? The sweetest and most incredible being that I have ever had the privilege of knowing, who made me feel so honored every single day to be his mother? Who was so much like his grandfather on so many levels that he actually scared me? Which made me worry about him even more than I naturally would have? No. Just no … no no no no …
3. Presley Acknowledged Her Son Strongly Resembled Elvis
GettyAmerican popular singer and film star Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977), to his fans the undisputed ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’.
According to TMZ, Presley agreed that Keough looked like Elvis Presley.
“Ben does look so much like Elvis. He was at the Opry and was the quiet storm behind the stage,” she said, according to TMZ.
“Everybody turned around and looked when he was over there. Everybody was grabbing him for a photo because it is just uncanny.”
Presley shared a birthday photo of her son on her Instagram page in October 2020, writing,
My beautiful beautiful angel, I worshipped the ground you walked on, on this earth and now in Heaven. My heart and soul went with you.
The depth of the pain is suffocating and bottomless without you every moment of every day. I will never be the same.Please wait for me my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley. I know you would want that. Happy Birthday my sweet sweet Boy. You were much too good for this world. 😞💔
4. Presley Wrote a Song About Her Son
Presley wrote a song “Storm and Grace” about Keough, TMZ reported. Her son’s middle name was Storm.
“You are the most beautiful man That I’ve ever known,” the lyrics read. “Too much to offer and too much held close to the bone.”
The song continues: “My heart can’t seem to take it. Your storm and your grace.”
In a Facebook post, she wrote of her four kids: “Mama Lion with cubs 💛💚💙💜🦁😃”
5. Presley Wrote Frequently About Benjamin Keough on Social Media, Revealing They Had Matching Tattoos of a ‘Celtic Eternity Knot’
Presley frequently wrote about Keough on social media. She shared in a Facebook post that they had matching tattoos.
“Several years ago, on Mother’s Day, my son and I got these matching tattoos on our feet,” she wrote.
“It’s a Celtic eternity knot. Symbolizing that we will be connected eternally. We carefully picked it to represent our eternal love and our eternal bond. 💔😞” she wrote.
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Benjamin Keough, Lisa Marie Presley’s Son: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know